The ‘it’ bag

The dust is still settling from my most recent handbag purchase – a mini pashli bag from 3.1 by Phillip Lim – but that hasn’t stopped me from keeping my blinders out for a few other bags that have been on my wishlist this last year or so. Irrationally, the thought of getting yet another ‘it’ bag as a belated birthday present has definitely crossed my mind, and the saturation of these bags on my Instagram feed has done little to deter me.

Given it usually takes months for me to actually pull the trigger on a new bag purchase (I deliberated over my Proenza Schouler PS11 for a year!), new handbag additions aren’t a decision I make lightly. Plus, I figure any bag that is going to cost upwards of $500 is a serious investment, so I want to make sure that I’ve well and truly thought about whether it is the right bag for me, and my lifestyle, before I find a sales assistant ringing up a new luxury purchase at the register.

While I don’t think I’ll be buying a new bag in the next week, I thought I’d share a couple of the bags that have been on my radar recently…

Chloe Faye bag in the small size – Admittedly, this is currently topping my wishlist, and probably the bag that I’ll end up going for first. Let’s just forget the fact that this wasn’t even on my radar 12 months ago, as it just felt a little too… trendy. A girlfriend of mine bought this bag while living in London, and after seeing in IRL, I’ve done a complete 180. What I love is that the bag seems deceivingly small, but the three interior compartments make it easy to organise your bag, and carry around all your essentials. I’m also such a sucker for anything suede, and I’ve come to find the chain detail really charming.

Chanel mini le boy bag (preferably in the chevron leather) – Real talk; the chances of me owning anything from Chanel in the near future are pretty slim, but hey, a girl can dream! I’ve watched enough Chanel handbag collection videos to know that if money were no object, I’d be rushing to buy the Chanel mini le boy bag in the chevron leather in a heartbeat. Suffice to say, this is definitely a ‘long game’ kind of bag.

Balenciaga mini city bag with giant hardware – One of the first bags I ever bought as a teenager, was a faux leather moto bag, which while I didn’t know it at the time, was heavily inspired by Balenciaga’s iconic city bag. I thrashed that bag until the point of no return, and more than ten years later, I’m still thinking about that bag. While classic black would be the obvious choice, I was really bowled over by the burgundy leather recently, and the bright yellow gold hardware makes for a stunning contrast.

Gucci Dionysus mini bag – Instagram and basically every blogger on the planet is to blame for this one, but there’s no denying that Alessandro Michele has done wonders for the brand, and the fashion world has been lapping it up – myself included. Personally, I’m more included to opt for the full suede version, as I feel like the monogram might look a little ‘dated’ in a couple years time, but I love the combination of the horse shoe shaped clasp, and aged silver hardware.

Givenchy Antigona bag – I’ve had a love/hate relationship with this bag for years, and it’s probably pretty obvious which side of the fence I’m currently sitting on. I love that this bag has a lot of structure, is minimal in design, has a shoulder strap, and is roomy enough to fit a 13” Macbook Pro.

YSL Chevron WOC – I clearly have a thing for chevron leather, and this little beauty from Saint Laurent has been no exception. What’s drawn me most to this bag is that it can be worn on its own as a small bag with a chain strap, as a clutch with the chain tucked in, or as a wallet within a larger bag.

Valentino Spike Rockstud bag – I’ve always had a bit of a thing for the Valentino Rockstud shoulder bag, but I came pretty convinced early on that the style was a bit too dressy for my lifestyle, and the smooth calf leather always struck me as a little too delicate. The spike rockstud bag on the other hand appears malleable and soft, and it comes in velvet. Velvet!!!

Gucci Marmont mini matalesse bag – For obvious reasons, I’m not typically drawn towards bags which are so light-coloured, but this milky-hued camera bag from Gucci is all kinds of cute (I also love the dusty rose shade, too).

If you have any of these bags currently hanging out in your closet, I’d love to hear your thoughts (watching hours of YouTube reviews is never enough to convince me!), and I’d also love to know what bags are currently on your wishtlist! x